Download Fact Sheet: Environment

Fact Sheet: Environment
Climate Change
Climate change is the long-lasting and significant change in local and global weather
patterns. Some of it is caused naturally by processes occurring in our oceans, variations in
solar radiation and events like volcanic eruptions. Almost all climate scientists agree that
climate change is accelerating because of human actions, particularly the rapid introduction
of carbon dioxide and other gasses into the atmosphere due to emissions from fossil fuel
combustion. Ozone depletion, animal agriculture and deforestation are other humaninduced causes of climate change. Evidence for climate change exists from historical
surface temperature records from the mid-19th Century onwards. For earlier periods,
evidence is available indirectly from scientific test such as ice core samples, archaeological
evidence and historical accounts. Climate change is considered irreversible.
While no single weather event can be attributed to climate change, the impacts of climate
change include changes in trends, such as an increased frequency of severe storms like
hurricanes, melting of polar icecaps, and rising sea levels The impacts of climate change are
not uniform: some areas of the globe will be hotter, some cooler, some drier, some wetter.
While many areas, such as low-lying land near oceans may be negatively impacted by
climate change, some areas may benefit. For example, northern Canada may benefit from
longer growing seasons.
In Canada, evidence of climate change can be seen in the opening of the Northwest
Passage, melting permafrost, hotter weather, droughts, and increased growth of trees in
the north.
Source: Wikipedia
Air Pollution
Air pollution is the introduction of contaminating particles to the earth’s atmosphere. These
can cause disease and death among humans, animals and crops and can damage both the
natural and humanly-built environment. Examples of air pollutants include chemicals such
as sulfur oxides (which cause acid rain), nitrous oxides and carbon monoxide caused by
fossil fuel combustion, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), ammonia from agricultural
processes and radioactive chemicals.
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Air pollutants are generally emitted into the atmosphere by stationary sources, such as
factories, and mobile sources, such as cars and trucks. Some air pollutants are released by
natural causes, such as wildfires and volcanic eruptions.
Air pollution is most commonly experienced as smog in cities, where it can have negative
effects on the population’s ability to breathe, particularly in the elderly, people with asthma
or respiratory disorders, and children. The toxic effects of air pollution are also evident in
the discoloration of buildings or the acidification of lakes and soils.
Source: Wikipedia
Water Pollution
Water pollution is the contamination of oceans, lakes, rivers, groundwater and aquifers by
pollutants in sufficient quantity to damage or kill species that either live in or depend upon
the water for survival. Water pollution is considered the world’s leading cause of death and
disease, killing 14,000 people daily.1 Although the problem is most acute in developing
countries, there are about 1,400 boil water advisories in Canada at any given time. 2 Water
pollution can be caused by the permitted, planned or accidental release of chemicals into
the water by industry, vehicles, sewage treatment systems and storm drains. Some of the
most damaging pollutants include sulfur dioxides from power plants, ammonia, nitrates and
phosphates from fertilizers, heavy metals and chemicals from prescription drugs.
Source: Wikipedia
Habitat Destruction
Habitat destruction includes a wide range of activities that destroy the water or land-based
environment or reduce bio-diversity. It is often caused by resource extraction, such as
mining, logging and deforestation, conversion of land for agriculture, or by urban sprawl.
Most habitat destruction is driven by the rise in global population and the accompanying
increase in the need for land for urbanization, agriculture, housing and transportation
infrastructure, and resource extraction.
1
West, Larry "World Water Day: A Billion People Worldwide Lack Safe Drinking Water".
March 26, 2006. http://water.wikia.com/wiki/Water_pollution
2
www.marketwire.com
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Habitat destruction makes it more difficult for species to survive and often leads to the
extinction of species. Habitat destruction is most noticeable in places like tropical
rainforests: of the 16 million square kilometres of rain forest that used to exist, only 9
million square kilometres exist today, resulting in the loss of ecosystems and the extinction
of hundreds of species. Most than 50% of US wetlands have been destroyed in the past 200
years.
Habitat destruction makes humans (and all species) more vulnerable to the negative effects
of floods, erosion, natural disasters, drought and the spread of disease. It also negatively
impacts the ability of the earth to regulate its climate.
Source: Wikipedia
Population Growth
Population growth generally refers to the rapid increase in the human population, from 1
billion souls in 1800 to 7 billion in 2012. It is considered an environmental problem because
it creates increasing demands on the earth’s capacity to adequately support the basic needs
for human survival: food and clean water. Population growth is fueled by higher birth
rates, lower death rates, increased agricultural productivity and advances in medical
science.
Policies to control population growth are highly controversial. For example, China has long
had a one-child policy. Since some developing countries have particularly high rates of
population growth, many attempts to control population in these countries have been
subjected to charges of racism.
Source: Wikipedia
May 2013
The contents of this paper are intended as an information resource for general understanding on the
subject. Reasonable efforts have been made to ensure accuracy at the time of publication. Readers
are advised to check the accuracy and currency of all information for themselves.
This material is intended for workshops and group studies and may be printed and re-used for these
purposes without seeking permission, but please note the CBWC as the source.
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